


No More Waiting

by ried (riiiied)



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-15
Updated: 2014-08-15
Packaged: 2018-02-13 06:10:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2140062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/riiiied/pseuds/ried
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin arrived late for his first date with Rei.</p>
            </blockquote>





	No More Waiting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sumi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sumi/gifts).



> Set between the end of the first season and the start of the second season.

“Rei!"

Just as he was starting to expect the worst, Rei was jolted out of his thought by a familiar voice calling out to him. Running towards him was the one he'd been anxiously waiting for, the one he was starting to worry might not ever turn up.

“...Rin-san.”

Rei eyed Rin's nearing figure closely. A pale-coloured turtleneck under a black jacket, paired with navy trousers. Simple stuff, like what Nagisa said he'd likely be wearing. Rei was now doubly glad that Nagisa managed to dissuade him from going all formal with his clothes. And that he didn't give in to the pleading to wear the ridiculously patterned scarves, too - it'd be an even worse clash. At any rate, he should remember to thank Nagisa for the former afterwards.

“Have you been waiting here for long?” Rin stopped a few steps in front of Rei. “Sorry. Club practice went overtime. Then Ai was supposed to help me prepare but turned out we disagreed too much when it comes to wardrobe matters and it ended up being slower than if I'd just did everything myself anyway. Worst of all, I then missed the train and it only comes once ever twenty minutes too – Rei?”

Jerked out of his thoughts, Rei at last noticed the tinge of worry on Rin's face. His mind raced to find something to say – he couldn't just say what he had been thinking of until then, they were messy thoughts and also kind of embarrassing and most of all the words were not beautiful. Stammering a little before he managed to string his words together, he finally said, “Y-you're still twelve minutes late, Rin-san.” He probably shouldn't have said something that could easily be misconstrued as a complaint. Twelve minutes wasn't too much in the end, anyway - it was just that he arrived way too early and ended up waiting longer than he should. But it was a fact, and when the other choices were all embarrassing blubbering, he'd rather mention something true if not completely positive.

“Huh?” Rin narrowed his eyes, head slightly cocked to the left. “I told you I'm sorry. It's not like I deliberately wanted to make you wait here.”

Of course. Rei drew a deep breath, trying to straighten his thoughts. Of course Rin wasn't planning to leave him hanging. But still. "You could at least contact me about it," Rei said, eyes still not meeting Rin's.

"Ah. About that." Rin dug into one of his pockets to draw out his phone and faced the screen towards Rei. All black. "I forgot to charge it and I ran out of battery in the middle of the road."

"...oh." That explained the lack of messages or calls informing him of the delay. At least it wasn't one of the more sinister causes he was starting to fear. Like Rin getting caught in an accident.

Rin pocketed back his dead phone. "Sorry about that. I really didn't mean to make you worry," he said sheepishly. 

"...um." Rei took a deep breath. He might have been worried before, but what was more important was that Rin was now here. “Yeah. It's all right. I did come here a bit too early, I guess,” he said, now calmed down enough to laugh a little at himself. “Although, to think that you actually needed some wardrobe advice too...”

“It's not like I asked for it,” Rin said, partly flustered. “I was just mentioning the plan to him the other day and he insisted that he'd help, which turned out not to help anyway. Wait, 'too'?”

It was Rei's turn to be flustered. “I-I didn't exactly ask for it either. Nagisa-kun just kept pushing me around about it and... well, I did make the mistake of asking him something in the first place. But it was supposed to be just a little question and it turned into a session of him making me his dress up doll,” Rei ended with a sigh. Seeing Rin laugh at the explanation, Rei began to protest, “Rin-san! You didn't have to laugh like that.”

It took another few seconds before Rin's laughter subsided enough for him to reply. “Sorry. It's just that I can just imagine Nagisa doing that. Gotta say,” he paused to look at Rei from head to toe, “I can approve of the result.”

“Of course.” Rei pushed up his glasses in an attempt to hide the blush creeping up his cheeks. “I didn't just accept every suggestion blindly, I made sure to select the ones that would fit with my idea of aesthetics.” It was true, anyway – he'd be wrapped in a bright neon scarf and an even flashier coat if he didn't. “Anyway,” Rei continued in an attempt to switch the topic, “shouldn't we be going soon? It would be better not to waste more time just standing here.”

“Hm.” Rei couldn't quite discern what was behind the way Rin looked at him just then – was he trying to read him? “Well, sorry again for keeping you waiting. If you're still mad about that,” a sly smile appeared on Rin's face as he continued, “how about I make it up by hanging around with you 'till late?”

“Ah, well... it, wouldn't be good if I stay out until too late.” Rei realised that he wasn't the best at on-the-spot excuses, and Rin's laughter at his answer seemed to prove exactly that. “Rin-san, you're laughing too much again.”

“Sorry, sorry,” Rin patted the back of his head, still trying to rein in his laughter. “I'm partly joking, anyway – we have curfews at the dorm too. Which means that yeah, we'd be running out of time if we just stay around here – oh, crap.” Rin's eye widened on the sight of the park clock. “We're going to miss the booking at the restaurant.”

“Well then, should we- whoa!” Rei didn't get to finish his sentence before Rin grabbed his left wrist.

Laughing, Rin ran out towards the direction of the shops, half-dragging Rei behind him by the arm. “C'mon, we don't want to be late again for the second time this evening, right?”

“You're the only one here who was already late before, Rin-san,” Rei protested, gradually adjusting his pace to match Rin's.

Rin took a glance back at Rei. “Well, if you say that...” He released his grip on Rei's arm, causing Rei to stumble forward a few steps. When Rei managed to regain his balance and looked up, Rin was already further in front of him. “Since you haven't been late yet, what about this time I'll arrive on time and you can be late alone?” And with a devilish smirk on his face, Rin turned to dash ahead, leaving Rei in his wake.

“W-wait, Rin-san! Geez!” Rei called out with a scowl, straightening up his posture before he set out running to chase Rin. His scowl soon turned into a smile, however – this certainly beat waiting alone without knowing when it would end. Looking ahead, he saw Rin stopping in his tracks, motioning for Rei to come at him with his hand, and Rei picked up his pace on cue. He wouldn't want to keep Rin waiting, after all.


End file.
